In its third quarter operations review, the world's second biggest iron ore producer Australia-based Rio Tinto posted a five percent increase in its global iron ore production compared to the same quarter of 2010. Its iron ore production in the third quarter this year was 64 million mt, while year to date its global iron ore production was 179 million mt, with a year-on-year increase of three percent.
Rio Tinto's operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia produced 60 million mt of iron ore in the third quarter, marking the second highest output level on quarterly basis, as ports and rail recovered strongly from the harsh weather conditions experienced earlier in the year.
Third quarter iron ore production of Rio Tinto subsidiary Iron Ore Company of Canada was six percent higher compared to the same quarter of 2010 and 24 percent higher compared to the previous quarter as a result of improved production reliability.
Rio Tinto stated that, in the given period, its Australian hard coking coal production increased by 14 percent compared to the same quarter of the previous year, recovering from severe rains in the first half of the year.
In 2011, Rio Tinto expects to produce more than 240 million mt of iron ore from its global operations located in Australia and Canada.